As parents we all know the joys and pains of bringing up a kid in today’s day and age. Admit, we were a better generation in terms of conscientiousness and responsibility, but didn’t our parents also think the same of themselves when it came to us? And yet, all parents want nothing more than to see their child happy, and do their best during exam time. Our children too know this fully well, and in our quest to see our children grow up and excel in a world that’s becoming more competitive with each passing day and so uncertain.

Here are a few tips or learnings which may help us give greater support, encouragement and confidence to our children during the final exams.

Children absorb our feelings. If we are tense about their performance, or stressed they sense it and most of the time adopt the feeling as their own. A mother who paces around the house while her children study will probably have children who cannot sit down and focus. Your best advice is to stay calm. Consciously relax yourself, go for a walk and even if you’re afraid Junior is going to bring a dismal result, make sure Junior doesn’t sense that feeling.

Set a routine and stress on the importance of healthy habits. Explain to your young one that studying last minute is not the best way to do things and reiterate the importance of a good night’s sleep and of course, nutritionally balanced meals. Boost their vitamin intake do try to minimize the junk food, especially sugar before bed times.

Work and Play. Minimise the TV watching and try and get the whole family to avoid watching the idiot box altogether while you’re child is studying. The last thing our kids need is a noisy distraction! Pick up a book, do a crossword instead, children learn best by example

Lemon essential oil or incense sticks boost concentration and clarity. A few drops of Lemon/Orange essential oil in the bath water may give that extra alertness required on exam days.

Make sure your child releases the stress with some form of physical exercise daily even if it’s a brisk walk with you in the evenings. Small stress balls which the child can squeeze before the paper helps release the tension especially if your child is a little anxious.

Remember, nothing helps a child succeed the way a parent who believes in his or her child does. Praise your child for his efforts and express confidence. After all, if you wont, who will.

Mita Bhan

If you’d like exclusively energised healing crystals for increasing memory, focus and concentration write to mita.bhan@gmail

Do you generally like being in or around large bodies of water like the sea or the lake? Are your happiest childhood memories around splashing in the sea?

Do you find you are able to relax instantly with the sound of running water?

Chances are you’re a Water Baby who is most calm and natural around water. The curative powers of water are well known but water babies have a special affinity with these precious drops of existence.

According to alternative healing water heals at all levels – mind, body and soul. Here are a few practices involving water healing:

The Sound of Water is said to lower blood pressure, bring tranquility and clarity to the mind and reduce anger and sadness as it allows us to look at our problems objectively and with calm.

The science of Hydrotherapy uses water to rejuvenate, maintain and bring back health. Treatments could range from steam baths, foot baths to the application of compresses. Aquatic physiotherapy involves bringing relief and mobility to the joints in a heated pool environment as well as spinal and orthopaedic ailments to name a few.

Water is vital to our survival and our healing. Water not only cleans our skin but detoxifies us internally and soothes us on the mental plane.

In Ayurveda, sipping hot water throughout the day aids and strengthens the digestive system and promote inner balance.

The Water element is one of the 5 basic elements or characteristics of Chi in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Every one of us is a unique blend of the influences of all the elements – namely water, wind, earth, fire and metal. Symbolising the kidney and the bladder, imbalances in the water element leads to ailments like water retention, infertility, night sweats and anxiety.

Used in traditional purification rituals in almost all cultures, Water in its essence symbolizes purity, cleanliness and peace.

Water heals inside and out. Even if we’re not water babies we still need it to live and stay healthy in the body, in the mind and in the soul. Drinking 8 glasses is a widely recommended by all doctors for hydration and inner harmony.

Anyone who has ever woken up to the sounds of terror in the middle of the night knows how exactly our children are affected by nightmares. Most common between the ages of 2 and 4 years old, nightmares are a by product of the growing imagination of a young child and his or her ability to absorb and react to a number of stimuli during his or her waking hours. Some kids rarely have nightmares while others may wake up screaming several times a week or a night. Fears may vary from child to child but are a normal part of the growing years up till their teens.

Most kids outgrow this phase and their nightmares can be handled by the parent. However if the frequency increases or the child refuses to go to school or even get into the bedroom, it could be symptomatic of some serious stress in your child’s life and you may need to seek the advice of a child therapist.

If your child is experiencing nightmares here’s how you can help.

Reassurance is critical. Some parents find by hugging the child and soothing him or her the anxiety levels decrease. Empathise with your little one and understand to him, his fear is very real. Remind him how safe he is and assure him of protection.

Protective mantras, amulets and even a piece of iron under the bed has been used for centuries by parents as a means to ward off anxiety and negative energies.

Lavender and Roman Chamomile essential oils promote restful sleep and work well with children.

In colour therapy, pastel shades and light yellow in the bedroom are believed to promote a sense of calm, peace and courage.

Healing crystals like Agate when placed beneath the pillow makes sleep deeper, calmer and more recuperative. Amazonite works well during phases of anxiety and stress and is best worn as a bracelet or a pendant. Like with a crystals, it is best to get them cleansed and energized by an energy healer before use.

Avoid fear inducing stimulants before bedtime especially violent or scary TV shows and bedtime stories with scary themes or villains. Though the child may appear calm before bedtime, his subconscious absorbs and replays the images during deep sleep.

Prayers before bedtime and placing of holy books by the bedside always reassure the child.

Finally, patience and love work wonders with nightmares in kids. As with all phases of childhood, this too shall pass.

Every one of us on this planet is blessed in some way. Though at times we may not know it, or even believe it, we are. The greatest blessing is the gift of life. Following that comes other blessings in our life from the basic (food, shelter, our loved ones) to more unique ones, like a gift or skill we may possess.

We all know that counting our blessings is perhaps the fastest way to usher in positive energy when we need it. But how many of us bless others for being in our lives, for caring for us, and being there when we need them. Blessing others is not something to be practised by our elders but by all of us on a regular basis. When we consciously appreciate another person we bless them, and we wish for good things to come their way. And promote the cycle of positivity and abundance. When we go a step further and bless those who have hurt us, or wronged us we break the chain of negative energy that flows from us or towards us. And replace it with a positive stream of energy.

Whenever the 3 of Swords appears in someone’s reading I wince. The card of heartbreak, sorrow and betrayal symbolizes deep emotional pain in the querent’s life. And as all of us know pain is hard enough to experience but sometimes even harder to hear about.

Recently I met a woman who’s fiancée decided to break the engagement after 2 years of courtship. Shocked by his decision and deeply angered about discovering the other woman who had taken his place she was determined to find her answers with the help of the Tarot.

“How can I heal from heartbreak?”

I winced a little more as over the years I’d learnt that some forms of grief just have to be lived through, and there was no pill that would take away her pain. This would take time and she would need to be patient.

Her cards revealed a time for absolute self honesty. For a start, it would help to admit feelings of hurt to herself. Hiding behind feelings of anger, calling him repeatedly demanding explanations was simply aggravating the situation. What would help would be time out for herself, to cry and process the grief.

Further cards indicated a time of confusion, blame and resentment but it would pass.

“How long will it take?”

“As long as it needs”. Different people respond to heartbreak differently. Some move on after a few weeks, others hold on to the pain for weeks, months and years. Clearly what was required was a willingness to go through this painful process one day at a time and some day wake up and realize that the hurt no longer exists. Patience reveals her lessons in different ways and she would need to learn. Just like there is no magical cure for a virus, it would help to accept whatever happened and allow the heartbreak to run its course.

She began to cry again and we sat together in silence. Her tears would flow repeatedly over the following weeks and somewhere she was learning that heartbreak is a part of growing up.
Her final question was to find out if she would meet someone else. And the cards revealed a fresh start, another young man who’d shower her with love and affection and success in her job.

Her tears didn’t stop at that point but there was a glimmer of a smile. Hopefully I prayed silently, she has found a reason to move on.

Her story is not a rare one. All of us have faced heartbreak at some point in time in our lives and though there is no perfect way to heal nor an escape from pain, here are a few suggestions which I pray help.

1. Ultimately we all have to move on from the ending of a painful relationship. And it’s different for all of us. Some of us heal faster and some take time. Be patient with yourself if you’ve just broken up, and if a friend of yours is recovering, be patient with him or her.
2. Don’t start about thinking about being friends with your ex immediately. Your first relationship has to be one with yourself. Be your own best friend, pick up the pieces and slowly build back your sense of self.
3. Express your pain and anger. Bottling it up only makes it worse, talk to loved ones or a counselor and simply let it out. Crying helps.
4. Learn to trust again. All relationships involve risks and the expression of Free will. Don’t let one bad experience make you believe all men/women will hurt you again.
5. Work on building back your self esteem. Surround yourself by people who love and appreciate you.
6. Rose Quartz, Rose Incense and Himalayan Salt Lamps are excellent soothers and aids in the process of healing.

While studying about self healing a few years ago I had come across the concept of talking to your cells. Achievable in a meditative state, it involved focussing on the area, organ, or muscle that was hurting or diseased and literally, sending positive affirmations to that spot. Combined with energy healing techniques and approached holistically it seemed to have helped countless people around the world. Especially when viewed from the perspective of mind, body soul connections, it gave me an indepth look at why a certain illness may have manifested. The physical manifestation was the last in the process, tracing its roots to our spirit and our mind. For example, a person who represses feelings or doesnt speak out, may, over time have issues related to thyroid and a perpetual sore and painful throat.

Every part of our bodies is governed by our soul and our thoughts. And too many times when we say “Oh I have bad knees” “My digestion is not good” “I am a terrible sleeper” ‘My back is weak” we are simply prolonging and in a way worsening our ailments. But if we begin to look at our bodies as our temple, our space for healing, purification and our friends till the end and begin to send positive messages to it, our body does heal.

A couple of months ago my knees began to hurt during my daily walks. It had reached a point where I began to get so anxious about the pain, it began while I wore my shoes. A trip to the orthopaedic, follow up xrays and blood tests revealed nothing wrong. So what was I blocking? Research revealed, painful knees were atitudes I was holding onto, issues of stubborness and control, plus of course the fact that I would think “my bad knees wont let me walk for more than 2-3km” I was making things worse for myself. And so I began to talk to my knees during meditation using positive affirmations like “My knees are getting stronger each day” and “I am flexible to adapting to Life’s changes” “I let go of beliefs and atitudes that no longer serve me” and “I am willing to walk through my fears” and gradually over a couple of weeks I began to see a positive difference.

Affirmations, self talk, communicating directly to the cells may seem zany at first, but it does work. The next time you wake up with a twinge in your back, or an itch in your throat, take a few minutes to meditate and go inwards. See if you can visualise the spot which hurts and just say to yourself “I am healing” Find out what attitudes you may be holding on to, or emotions you may be suppressing. Address them. Talk about them. Let them go with love. After all, its time we all loved our self more, cells and all.

If you are keen to explore this, contact me for a Guided Healing Meditation. And we can begin by talking your way to wellness.

“The inside of a house or apartment after decluttering has much in common with a Shinto shrine… a place where there are no unnecessary things, and our thoughts become clear.” Marie Kondo

If there’s one thing I enjoy doing, it’s decluttering. The more possessions I throw, give, recycle or donate, the lighter I feel. Earlier I would declutter twice a year, but now, over the past few months the feeling to let go of surplus things has intensified. Maybe it’s because Im growing older and dont really need to keep up with the trends, or leading a quieter existence relinquishing the need to clutter my home with object d’art or new crockery. Whatever it is, I am driven by a strong desire to just let go. And the more I purge, the better I feel.

Somewhere it’s not just my cupboards which are free of stagnant energies, my mind too feels more at peace. I have realised not everything has nostalgic value, not everything will be needed at some other date, and not everything I hoarded in the past brought me joy.

I have resolved to declutter my home by a further 30% and I must thank Marie Kondo the best selling author of “The Life Changing Magic of Tidying up – The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organising” who says “To truly cherish the things that are important to you, you must first discard those that have outlived their purpose. And if you no longer need them, then that is neither wasteful nor shameful. Can you truthfully say that you treasure something buried so deeply in a cupboard or drawer that you have forgotten its existence?”

“It’s not fair. I’ve been a good person! I’ve never hurt anyone purposely. Then WHY is he doing this to me!!”

She was angry, anxious and from the tone of her voice I could tell she was exasperated by her ex husband’s behaviour. She had thought seperation would have brought her peace, but he continued to hurt her in petty ways periodically, and she was unable to move on from the hurt he caused.

The cards did reveal a gentle soul who was here to learn certain lessons. Not as a form of punishment, but as way forward into greater growth. Pain would be the gateway to higher learning, like it is for all of us. With wisdom comes peace.

“Your lesson is one of endurance” In others words you capacity to withstand wear and tear. Like muscles that cry out in pain during strength training, with repeated use, our muscles get stronger and can handle heavier loads.

She looked up and met my eyes. “You mean, how much can I take.”

“Yes, and every time he attacks you with his behaviour or his words, you only get stronger. PROVIDED you LEARN why he’s doing it to you. By staying stuck with the pain, your soul stays where it is, by understanding his role in your life…..

“To make me self reliant, stronger and to learn to live with out him. I get it, he came to teach me how to live alone. And because I was so clingy and afraid, he would hurt me, until I learnt”

Sometimes souls dont even know they are here to be our teachers. Unconsciously they behave in a certain way or say things which hurt us. That hurt we feel, is the key to our growth. Our focus ought not to be on the wrong but on the lesson. And it begins the moment we start to ask why.

Her anger had subsided. I could see she was thinking of her life from a soul learning perspective. For one moment, she zoomed out of her life and saw herself a soul with a thousand lifetimes, growing, evolving with each experience – joyful and painful.

” I suppose the next step for me is forgiveness.”

I grinned and nodded.

Karmic Lesson Readings are available with me online, on the telephone and in person. Contact me for details at mita.bhan@gmail.com.

Mother Nature speaks to us in so many ways. But we’re so lost in our thoughts we never pay attention to her. Rather like the way we behave with our own moms. Knowing that their words are for our highest good, but not really paying attention to them.

After a recent workshop I attended on communicating with Nature, I’ve learnt to keep all my senses open when I meditate outdoors. Sitting on the grass, surrounded by trees and bushes, it’s like an invitation to an exclusive event where I have the privilege to mingle with the wisest and the most ancient beings who are unbelievably generous with their support and wisdom.

Everytime I tune into Nature during meditation I emerge with a sense of clarity, a greater purpose and a quiet determination that reminds me I cannot die without doing something for our environment and our animals.

We’ve done enough damage to the Earth and all its creatures. Time to step in, heal, speak out and preserve Mother Nature, don’t you think?